


Sing With Me (just for today)

by Eleven_11



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Capture the Flag, Demigod!Harry, Demigod!Louis, Harry is fast, Heroes, Jealousy, Louis is a very good fighter, M/M, Percy Jackson AU, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, swordfigting, they're sons of greek gods, young Harry and Louis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 10:59:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15314043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleven_11/pseuds/Eleven_11
Summary: When Harry arrives at Camp Half Blood as a clumsy and terrified 12-year-old, he has no clue what he's doing, just that he really wants to be friends with this Louis kid. Louis has been at camp for five years when Harry shows up, and he still doesn't know who his godly parent is. Everything Louis does is in hope of catching his dad’s attention. Everything Harry does is in hopes of being enough.The story picks up in the Percy Jackson universe after the Titan War and right in the middle of the conflict with the Giants. Louis is one of the demigods left behind to defend the camp, and Harry just discovered he's a demigod.(Title from Aerosmith's "Dream On".)





	Sing With Me (just for today)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is week two of the Wordplay prompt challenge!  
> This is chapter 1 of what will eventually be a fairly sizable fic (hopefully)!
> 
> This is part of a Wordplay prompt challenge that a group of us are participating in for the prompt "Hope". To read the amazing fics that were written by the others on this prompt, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_hope/works), and to see all fics written as part of the challenge, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_fic_challenge/works) or find the masterpost for this year’s challenge here.

Louis was patrolling when a kid with bushy brown curls and terrified green eyes seemed to appear out of thin air and run straight through the borders of Camp Half Blood. His clothes were ripped and his shoes caked with mud. There were what looked like claw marks on his arms and neck, and he looked like he was going to pass out.

And then he did. 

Louis ran to get Chiron, who was the closest thing they had to an "adult in charge".

“Was he followed?” Chiron asked grimly, scanning the border for monsters.

“I didn’t see anything after him,” Louis replied, “he kinda came out of nowhere.”

“Alright, get him to the Big House. Let him rest, and we can figure things out later.”

Camp Half Blood is a home for demigods or "half bloods": kids with one mortal parent and one parent who is a greek god. Yeah,  _the_ greek gods. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Athena, Demeter, Hermes, Hera, and the rest. They never actually died, just moved west to where ever the flame of Western Civilization burned brightest. Right now that was in America. There were half bloods all over the country, but the camp was on Long Island, just a little ways away from Mount Olympus' new location at the top of the Empire State Building.

Louis expected the kid to be much heavier than he was when he bent down to pick him up. He was probably too light, if he was being honest. Like he hadn’t eaten well in a while. Louis also found a hunting knife strapped to his leg with a fraying piece of fabric. It was celestial bronze, the kind of metal demigods used to kill monsters, and he wondered how the kid had gotten his hands on it.

When Louis got to the Big House, he set him on a cot in the infirmary, and an Apollo kid named Will checked him for injuries. Apollo was the god of healers, music, poetry, and archery, so some of his kids were natural healers. Will cleaned the scratches and drizzled some nectar, food of the gods that helped demigods heal, into Curly Boy’s mouth. When he went to check Curly’s feet, they were both surprised to find that under all the mud, his shoes looked like they’d been burned through.

“Well that’s interesting,” Will commented. “His feet aren’t hurt though, so that’s good.”

“Yeah,” Louis agreed weakly. “What do you think?”

“Oh, nothing too bad. Some cuts and bruises, but I just think he’s tired. Let him sleep and Argus can tell one of us when he wakes up.” Argus was their many-eyed security guard. ‘Many-eyed’ as in literally covered head to toe with eyes. He was a little freaky, but Louis trusted him.

When he returned to his post that the border of camp, the other guard walked up to him, eyebrows scrunched in worry. His name was Liam and he was a son of Hephaestus, the god of fire and metalworking. Liam was a good friend, although they didn’t always get along. He was sometimes too serious for Louis’ taste, but Louis also knew he was a darn good demigod. They fought exceptionally well when they worked together.

“He okay?” Liam asked. 

“Yeah. Will says he should be fine once he wakes up.” Louis replied. 

“That’s about the best we can hope for.”

 

Harry woke up after about 16 hours of sleep. Argus showed up at Louis’ door, and he ran to the Big House. Louis wasn’t sure when he started to feel so protective over this kid, but something inside of him needed to know he was okay.

When he got to the front porch, Curly was playing cards with Chiron. He looked better—less pale, a little fuller in his cheeks, his face was cleaner, and he had fresh clothes on. He had his bottom lip drawn under his front teeth in concentration and Louis could help but stare. Something about him was mesmerizing.

“Ah, Louis!” Chiron greeted. Harry jumped at his voice, but quickly recovered and turned to where Chiron was looking. “Harry, this is Louis. He’s going to be showing you around camp.” The kid, _Harry_ , Louis thought slid out of his chair an awkwardly shuffled closer. “Louis, this is Harry. Harry, would you mind if I spoke to Louis for a moment?” Harry didn’t really respond, but Louis made his way over to Chiron.

“He’s frightened, but that’s to be expected,” Chiron began. “From what I can gather, he’d been on the run for two days, followed by what I’m guessing was a hellhound. We tried contacting his family, but we can’t get an iris message through. He wrote a letter and we’re sending it in the post, but who knows.” Chiron looked grim. Ever since things started happening with the Giants, communication had been iffy at best. He looked down at Louis with a seriousness in his kind eyes, “He’s strong. He can take care of himself, but that doesn’t mean he should do so alone. Welcome him home.”

“Yes, sir,” Louis responded.

“Oh, what did I say about all of that ‘sir’ stuff,” Chiron huffed out, ruffling Louis’ hair. “Now go. Harry’s waiting.”

Louis was expecting Harry to be skittish and withdrawn, but he found that Harry was actually genuinely warm and something that Louis was sure would be bubbly in a couple of days.

Hermes, being god of travelers among other things like thieves and mischief, housed all of the demigods who hadn’t been claimed by their godly parent yet in his cabin, Cabin 11. Louis had been living in the Hermes cabin for five years, and was basically considered a head counselor, but without all the perks of being a head councilor (which, for Cabin 11, was basically just your own room).

Louis remembered that Percy Jackson demanded the gods claim their children regularly after the Titan War, and it was better for a while, but the gods quickly reverted back because of the new threat of the Giants looming. Not many of the campers knew about the Giants yet, and Louis prayed that the gods could handle it themselves for once, but he wasn’t optimistic. At least there was a sort of peace right now, except for the fact that Annabeth Chase and some other demigods had left camp on a massive boat a couple of weeks ago to go find Percy. Louis was always weary of peace anyway, and this one really felt more like a shaken fizzy can waiting to be opened.

He’d heard murmurs of another camp, a Roman camp, while talking to some of the other older campers. He wasn’t privy to the actual war council meetings, seeing as he wasn’t the head of a cabin, but he’d been there for so long that many of the heads came to him when they didn’t know what to do. Everyone was at a loss these days, so Louis probably knew more than anyone besides Chiron or Mr. D. It all made his brain feel like jelly sometimes, so he tried not to dwell on it too much. He just kept training, determined to be ready this time when things went south.

Sometimes it bothered him that he wasn’t a head counselor, but it was difficult to complain about that when he didn’t even know he real cabin yet. Remember that thing about the gods reverting back to widespread neglect of their kids? Yeah, that was pretty personal for Louis. He’d been at camp for five years and hadn’t heard a thing from whoever the hell his dad was. He was sure his dad would claim him after he fought in the Battle of New York, taking over for Connor Stoll when he got knocked out and securing the Manhattan Bridge pretty much by himself (most of the Hermes Cabin had been diverted to help Michael Yew and the Apollo Cabin with some major emergency on the Williamsburg Bridge). But even though he wasn’t claimed in the post-war flurry, he also hadn’t lost hope. There was a good reason his dad was waiting, he could feel it. Until then, he could make his home in Cabin 11.

That’s how Louis and Harry ended up sharing a room. Granted, they shared it with two other campers, but as Louis had decided that Harry wasn’t too bad, he became his unofficial mentor and temporary best friend until Harry found his own. Maybe he’d learned to be hospitable from living in the Hermes cabin since he was 9-years-old, or maybe Hermes was actually his godly parent, but Louis thought he did a pretty good job making Harry as comfortable as possible in his new room.

Harry wasn’t talking much, which wasn't unusual of new demigods, and Louis knew not to push. After all, the minute Harry walked into Cabin 11, he told a couple of the residents how to move furniture and clutter in order to clear up a whole room's worth of things. Creating that much more space in the Hermes cabin was god-level stuff. Louis wasn’t worried about him getting pranked or picked on for at least the first week, maybe more. Since Harry was safe from the mischief of Hermes’ kids, he was also pretty much safe from the rest of camp too. Cabin 11 stuck together and protected their own when it came to outside threats, even if their domestic life was nothing but a constant train of pranks and agitations.

“Here are a few things you might want,” Louis told the top of Harry’s head. He was staring at his beat up converse low-tops, but Louis wasn’t offended. “There’s a camp shirt, some underwear, shorts, a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap…other things some of us nicked from the camp supply…”

“Oh gosh,” Harry said, eyes now looking up and wide, “you didn’t need to steal for me. I’m sure I’ll be fine without all of this. I appreciate it, but I’m okay, really, I don’t—”

“Harry,” Louis cut him off. “I really was no trouble at all. Half the kids in this cabin are children of the god of thieves, but it’s not like the camp supplies are secured or anything. They’re practically made to be broken into; we think it’s just Mr. D’s way of being lazy about handing stuff out. He knows we just take what we need as we need it.” Louis usually talked quickly but tried to slow down for Harry, who was staring at him wearily like he didn’t believe him. “Plus, we’d all much rather go through the trouble of taking a few things if that means you’re clean and well groomed,” Louis continued. “There are too many of us in here to have anyone smelling and you—” he paused. He didn’t want to be insensitive, the kid had obviously been through a lot in the last couple days, but he also needed to be truthful. “Haz, you kinda stink.”

Louis was ready for a variety of responses— tears, denial, anger—but none of them were the single bark of laughter Harry let out at his comment. He even chuckled a little, looking down to take in his appearance for what seemed to be the first time in a couple days. Even Louis smiled fondly.

“My sister calls me Haz.” He looked up at Louis, still smiling, and Louis wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. “And yeah, I smell like…something that smells really bad.”

 _Eloquent_ , Louis thought. But he didn’t tease the kid about it. His brain was obviously pretty fried.

Harry picked up the box and started looking through it. He pulled a photograph, an ipod and headphones, scraps of paper, and some change from his pocket, then put them in with his new things. He gripped the top edges of the box and looked up at Louis expectantly, rocking slightly on his cot. After a beat, Louis realized Harry was waiting for what was next.

“Oh! Um, dinner’s in about two hours. I’ll take you there and you’ll eat with us, no worries. You can shower, change, sleep a little, dance around, really do whatever you want until then, this is one of the few times you’ll get when you’ve got absolutely nothing to do.” He smiled at Harry and resisted the urge to just hug the kid, but he looked small and scared and like he’d just fall over if Louis even moved toward him.

“I mean, if I really smell so bad then—”

“Oh, no, you really don’t, I didn’t mean—”

“No, Louis, I really do. I’ve got a nose too. Could you tell me where the showers are?” He was smiling now so Louis counted it as a win. He smiled back and helped Harry up. They weaved their way out of the cabin, Louis grabbing one of his towels along the way.

 

After a few days Harry began to talk more, which also meant he began to laugh more. Louis took to him. Something about his innocence and general buoyancy was so attractive; he missed his younger sisters and maybe Harry reminded him of home. Things were too serious these days, and Louis thought the camp was really benefiting from some sunshine.

The other campers caught on quickly enough to the idea that Harry had been sent to them for a reason. He wasn’t fierce, nor was he battle hardened, but he made those things work for him, rather than against him. It took Harry about three weeks to earn the favor of everyone at camp. He was cheerful, a quick learner, and always more than happy to listen to anyone who needed to talk. Because of the trauma most of the campers had been through in the war, this was especially important.

Harry had started to settle nicely into camp. Louis helped him with ancient Greek in the mornings. Harry was terrified at first because he was dyslexic and had ADHD like most other demigods, but once he started learning the language programed into his blood he started to believe what Louis said about them being normal and even helpful to kids like them. He did some basket weaving and picked strawberries in the early afternoons, and joined the Hermes cabin for lunch in the dining pavilion. His afternoons were completely dedicated to trying a bunch of different outdoor activities. They served a dual purpose as training and a way to get a clue at who his godly parent was. He knew it was a male god, since he’d lived with his mom his whole life, but that was pretty much it. He didn’t really feel like it was right to complain, though, since he knew Louis had been waiting for years.

Harry was a bit disappointed when he found out Louis wouldn’t be the one taking him through all the combat skills, but he supposed it would be selfish to take one of the camp’s best teachers for himself. He found out he was okay at archery, useless at wrestling, better than average in a canoe, okay with plants, actually pretty good at the climbing wall before it started spitting fire, and absolutely hopeless with a sword. Of course, swordsmanship was Louis’ specialty, so Harry got to showcase his absolute worst to the person whose opinion he cared about most. He wasn’t really sure why he cared so much about what Louis thought of him, it wasn’t like he fancied him or anything, even if he was ridiculously fit and charming and funny and kind and witty and—you get the point. It was only after their first sword fighting lesson that Harry thought he might be in trouble in the romance department.

Louis was graceful by nature, athletically built and just naturally smooth and flexible, but how he managed to be graceful with a three-foot-long sword in his hand, Harry couldn’t fathom. It was as if the sword was just a big, deadly, bronze extension of his arm. He drew it from his hip as easily as picking up a pencil, and his swings, parries, thrusts, and blocks were basically one fluid motion. Louis’ feet got in on the game too, moving him exactly where he needed to go, seemingly without thought. To Harry, it looked like dancing, and Harry knew he was a terrible dancer.

When Louis finished his match with Travis Stoll, one of the head councilors of the Hermes cabin, he turned to the crowd that had filtered in for the lesson. It was his own cabin plus the handful of Demeter kids interested in combat skill, and he looked genuinely pleased to see them all (although winning the match probably helped). It was obvious that although Louis was young, he was excellent with a sword. It was also obvious that here, Louis was in charge. Harry had heard that there was a guy who came to teach swordsmanship for a couple of months, but Louis said he’d just left one day. Now campers, namely Louis, were in charge of training again. He caught Harry’s eyes watching him and gave him a wink and his best smile, hoping to convey friendliness and reassurance.

“Hello my beautiful cabin and friends!” he shouted, stretching his arms wide. “Grab your stuff and we’ll get going.”

Apparently, “stuff” meant full battle armor and real swords. Harry wasn’t sure if he was surprised at this point, but he certainly didn’t feel ready. He must have looked lost, because after a couple minutes Louis showed up at his side.

“Need a hand?” he asked, no judgement or snark in his voice. Harry appreciated it.

“Um. Yeah, if you could. I don’t really—I’ve never tried to…” his voice trailed off but Louis looked like he understood.

“Yeah, no worries. It’s been new to everyone at some point.” He grabbed a breast plate, a shield, and a sword and handed them to Harry. “Try these, it might take a little bit to figure out what kind of sword you prefer, but this one should be a nice starter.”

Harry thought it looked like a nice way to cut his own arm off, but he just gulped and grabbed it by the grip. Louis helped his with the breast plate and led him to an open spot on the pavilion.

“So, Harry, what have you liked so far combat-wise?” Louis asked.

“Um. Well. They said I was pretty fast, and I liked the climbing wall before all the lava. Also canoeing was fun, but I’m not sure that counts as combat.”

“Hey, don’t write any of it off. The best hero we’ve had here in centuries is aces in a canoe.” Harry didn’t look convinced. “He’s also a son of Poseidon, so that’s kind of cheating, but he’s aces at everything and no one is going to complain about that. “

“Percy Jackson,” Harry remembered aloud. “I’ve heard about him a ton. He’s somewhere in Europe, right? Fighting Giants with a couple other demigods?”

Louis looked uncomfortable, the same look on his face that everyone got when Percy or Giants.

“Yeah,” Louis replied, “he’s the best sword fighter we’ve had in a long time, maybe even better than Luke by now…” He said the last part quietly, and the way he said Luke gave Harry the idea that it wasn’t a name used around here very often. “Anyway, the point is, Percy could whip any of our butts, but you probably know that. What you didn’t know,” Louis continued with a smirk and a little glint in his eye that made Harry wonder if he really wasn’t just a son of the god of mischief, “is that he trained me.” Louis was fully smiling now. Harry was very nervous.

“Okay, Harold, sword up,” he commanded.

Part of Louis really did want to be gentle with Harry and nicely walk him through techniques and steps, but the other part of him really wanted to mess with him. The latter part won. Harry was just really cute when he was flustered, not that Louis thought Harry was cute, or anything.  
He went slowly enough, but even learning the basics seemed overwhelming for Harry. Louis collided their blades together, swung at his armor and shield, and moved them around enough to make Harry trip every couple of seconds.

“Shield up, Styles!” he yelled. “Too far,” he commented as he whacked Harry in the chest with the flat of his blade. “Try actually swinging, Harold,” he teased.

Harry was trying to defend himself and move the sword, he really was, but he was clumsy enough without nearly three feet of razor sharp bronze in his hand. He tried to parry strikes like he saw Louis do earlier, but Louis was just too fast. He was shouting instructions at Harry during their little match, but Harry couldn’t get his limbs to cooperate. They kept on for a couple minutes, Louis whirring around him and Harry trying to do anything at all, until Louis moved to from Harry’s right to left a little too quickly. Harry’s pigeon-toed feet were already tripping him up, but his right foot caught on his left and soon he was tripping his way to the floor. He hit with a thud and a clang of metal.

“Ya’ll right there?” Louis asked from above him. His hand came into view above Harry’s head and he grabbed it to help him get up. Harry’s cheeks were flaming red and his curls were damp with sweat. He looked mortified and Louis felt a pang in his own chest. “Hey,” he started, “it happens to everybody. Right?” He addressed the last part to the pavilion at large and everyone nodded their heads, even if it looked like they were only doing it because they didn’t want Louis to get upset and fight them. It made Harry feel a little better.

“Alright,” Louis said, still loudly enough so that everyone could hear, “since you all agree, we’re going to work on our lateral movement today.” There was a collective groan and Harry caught some people looking at him not-so-nicely. “Hey now, this is ridiculously important stuff. It’s saved my life more than a few times.” From the looks on the others’ faces, Harry could tell this was something they knew, but would only begrudgingly admit. “I want groups of 4. Two people sparring and the watchers each assigned to a fighter. I want watchers to call out directions for their fighter to follow, and I want them to be difficult. If I see that you’re taking it easy on one another, I’ll come help.” The smile on his face let Harry know that Louis’ ‘help’ wasn’t something you wanted in this game.

Campers starting to pair off and soon the arena was filled with clanging metal and shouts of “left five steps!” and “parry and move forward. Now!”

“Harry!” Louis called. “Stop gawking and get over here.” He had one hand on his hip and the other resting on his sword. His hair was tousled and his cheeks slightly flushed, and Harry thought he looked really good. He found himself hoping that he didn’t look too stupid, even though he felt like a toddler playing dress-up.

“This is Zayn,” Louis said. “He got here a couple years after me. Son of Demeter, the nature goddess, but a decent fighter when he’s not being a complete tosser.” Louis ruffled Zayn’s hair, which Zayn didn’t seem to appreciate too much, but Harry just hoped that one-day Louis would do that to him. He had a lot of hopes, and he didn’t feel very confident in any of them.

“Good to meet you,” Zayn said, sizing him up a bit.

“Okay, Haz,” Louis said, “you’re going to fight Zayn and—”

“Wait, what?” Harry squeaked. Louis didn’t look too fazed.

“I said, you’re going to fight Zayn.” Harry thought the worst part was that Louis didn’t even look like he was making fun of him. His eyes were earnest and his face was hopeful.

 _Oh great_ , Harry thought. _I get to disappoint two people now._

“I’ll be your partner,” Louis continued, still addressing Harry, “so I’ll tell you where to go and stuff-- easy peasy!” Harry’s face only paled. “I might even call out some moves for you, just little hints. You’ll be fine!”

Harry was not fine.

Even with Zayn’s partner calling out increasingly ridiculous directions, Harry was noticeably losing. Louis didn’t let this dampen his spirits though, like he really did believe in Harry. Harry would have thought the sentiment were a lot sweeter if he wasn’t being pummeled by an actual sword.

“It’s alright, Haz,” Louis told him during a break, “you _are_ actually getting better, believe it or not.”

“I think you just might be blinded by pitty, Lou,” Harry replied. It was the first time he’d used a nickname, but he was too exhausted and aching to freak out about it.

The thing was, though, that Harry actually was getting better. No, his sword control wasn’t any better, but Louis noticed how quickly Harry could travel and used that to his advantage. Instead of telling Harry to thrust out, he told him to move to Zayn’s left flank and hit him with his shield and quickly retreat. No, it wasn’t really swordsmanship, but it was combat, and that was good enough for today. Harry noticed that Zayn was starting to look pretty beat up too, and by the end of their session, he didn’t feel absolutely out of his league.

“You’ve got some good moves, Harry,” Zayn said as they were taking off their armor. Harry blushed and fumbled to get his breastplate off.

“Um, thanks. I didn’t really know what I was doing, though; you’re the one with skills. I just did what Louis told me to do.”

Zayn let out a laugh at that which made Harry’s lips quirk too. “Normally, I’d tell you that’s a really stupid thing to do, but when it comes to swords and combat," he shrugged. "It’s not a bad way to go.”

He clapped Harry on the shoulder and made his way back to where Louis was helping a younger camper with his arc control. Harry guessed Zayn was right. Out of everyone he could have teach him how to stay alive, he was glad it was Louis. He just hoped he’d be good enough to one day get his dad’s attention. Looking at Louis, the best demigod presently at camp, and knowing that even he didn’t know his parentage scared him. But Louis told him to never lose hope, so he guessed he could try being optimistic for now. 

 

A couple night's later, even Harry's good nature fell to the rambunctious whims of the camp. He woke up in the air, hoisted by four campers headed to the dock. Louis didn’t interfere, knowing that it was just something everyone had to go through and that it was pretty harmless. Also, if he tried to protect Harry he’d ultimately do more harm than good. Harry needed to fight his own battles, even after just two weeks. Anything else was too dangerous. Louis _did_ , however, bring a towel and some shoes to the dock for Harry when he climbed out of the water, hair deflated and scraggly, shirt sticking to his chest, and cheeks flushed pink. Louis thought it was adorable, but quickly put the thought out of his mind. _Mentor_ , he reminded himself, _trusted guide and friend. Don’t let this one die_. Harry accepted the towel and shoes, and Louis let himself put his arm around Harry’s shoulders as they walked back to their room.

 

Apparently, Louis had been right to let Harry fight his own battles, because the kid was more than capable. After just a month of training he could out-run 80% of camp, get through literally any obstacle course thrown his way, and weave a mean basket. He was also learning to use the knife he had strapped to his leg when he first came to camp. They might not all have been the most combative of strengths, but Louis was pleased that they could at least keep him safe.

One night, about four weeks after he arrived, Harry got a letter back from his mother stating that she and his sister were safe at home, and not to worry about the communication block around their home. She said it was a protection from Harry’s father. Louis tried his hardest not to be jealous of such concrete evidence of Harry’s father’s presence. He still hadn’t heard a thing, hadn’t even gotten a feeling as to who his father was, but he didn't want to get upset about it now.

Harry noticed his jealousy pretty easily, though. They’d become pretty good friends, and Louis found that Harry was really good to talk to, but that also meant he was really good at detecting Louis' moods. Unfortunately, Harry also had a habit of thinking everything was his fault, so Louis had to do some damage control.

“Harry, please look at me. I’m not upset.” They were sat in their shared room, but Harry was avoiding Louis. The tension in the room was killing him.

“You looked pretty upset when you just got up and left me all by myself with both of our canoes.”

Louis bit his lip. He knew that was stupid and irrational and impulsive, but really, he tended to think those three word described him pretty well. He still needed to apologize, though.

“I know, Haz,” he began, “I was stupid and irrational and impulsive, and I’m really sorry. I wasn’t mad at you. It’s just hard to deal with stuff sometimes.” Harry had finally lifted his head to look at Louis. He looked confused and hurt.

“You’re not stupid,” Harry said fiercely, “and you know I hate it when you call yourself that.” It was Louis’ turn to look away. “But maybe, next time things get difficult you can tell your best friend instead of stalking off! How was I supposed to know you weren’t mad? It’s not like I could have found you anyway. Trust me, I tried.”

“Harry it’s not—”

“Did you know how worried I was?” he demanded. “Now that I know monsters can get into camp? I thought you were in trouble!”

Louis wasn’t sure what to say. He’d stopped moving completely, which was how Harry knew he’d gotten through to him. Both of their shoulders slumped and the only sound was Harry’s heavy breathing.

“I’m really sorry,” Louis repeated. This time he looked so small that Harry nearly just wrapped him in a hug and forgave him. “I was jealous. And hurt. And I hated you for a little bit.” He was looking at his feet now. He couldn’t deal with looking at Harry right now.

“Lou, that—”

“Please, Haz, let me just—I don’t hate you. I didn’t even really hate you then. I don’t know if I even could. Which is annoying when you want to be angry, I’ll tell you that.” He chuckled but it was empty, and started to pace. “I just—you heard from your mom, which was so amazing and I’m so sorry I’ve ruined your happiness from that, I’m so sorry. But then she mentioned your dad, and how he’s still protecting her and your sister and, I don’t know, I just got so angry.” He slumped onto his bed and put his head in his hands. “I’ve been waiting and hoping for so long, and I’ve never heard a thing. And to hear that your dad is still in your life, even if it’s just a protection or whatever. It’s just. Not fair.” He looked up at Harry and found that his eyes had stopped burning so fiercely.

“Lou,” he started, taking a step forward, “I didn’t realize. I’m sorry.”

“Haz, you have nothing to be sorry for. You shouldn’t have to feel bad about my dumb issues.”

Harry came and sat next to Louis, tentatively reaching out until Louis just grabbed his hand and wrapped it around himself. He hadn’t really thought about what he considered Harry, but after he said ‘best friend,’ Louis knew he was right. And right now, he needed his best friend.

“I should have known, though, Lou. And they’re not dumb issues. It’s a big deal even if you pretend like it’s not.”

“I try to be okay with making those offerings we have to make before dinner, and I try not to think about how I don’t even know who to pray to, but it’s hard. And I know there are tons of kids here who are way older than me and still don’t know, so I really have no reason to complain, but every time I do something really good, I can’t help but hope that it was enough. I try to tell myself that I just have to wait longer, or train more, or be better and then he’ll notice me and remember that he loves me and talk to me and whatever—but I know that’s not going to happen.” Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Louis cut him off. “No, Harry, it’s not. Even if you know who your godly parent is, they barely ever talk to you, and they certainly don’t always love you. I shouldn’t let myself get my hopes up, but it’s just really hard.”

Harry though for a few moments before he replied. “I think my dad loves me, and I think your dad loves you, even if they don’t love us in the same way that we’re used to being loved. I mean, we made it camp…that means something. It all has to mean something, Lou." Louis looked up and found Harry's green eyes already looking at him. "I don’t think you should stop hoping, though, because I don’t think any father would want to claim a son who’s lost hope in him. Ya know?”

Louis just snuggled into Harry’s side, and Harry took it as agreement. Harry wasn’t as preoccupied with finding out who his dad was as Louis. He was content to just stay at camp and train and learn. But he knew that Louis eventually wanted a quest, and unclaimed campers rarely got quests. Harry just hoped that he could be good enough for Louis until then.

 

After they established that they were best friends, Harry and Louis grew closer quickly. Louis found out that Harry hummed to himself constantly, knit his eyebrows when he was concentrating on just about anything, and had a hard time sleeping at night. Harry learned that Louis was always thrumming with energy, was an absolute nightmare to wake up in the morning, and could win a fight with just about anyone with just his hands. They also grew increasingly more territorial of one another. When a dryad decided she wanted to play with Harry’s hair as he weaved a basket, Louis decided that he needed Harry to help him organize the armory immediately (even though they’d done it earlier in the morning. “Hey, you can never be too thorough, Harold”). And when one of Louis sparring partners lingered a little too long as Louis was cooling down after their match, Harry remembered that he and Louis were supposed to sweep the cabin floor before dinner (even though they weren’t. “Oh that’s next Tuesday? Whoops”).

 

A month and a half after Harry was thrown in the lake was his first game of capture the flag. Louis loved capture the flag. He helped Harry strap on his breastplate and find a sword that looked like it would be least likely for Harry to stab himself with, then he gave him a smile that made Harry’s knees turn to jelly.

The feeling wasn’t necessarily new for Harry, he’d had crushes on a handful of boys before, but never boys who could take out entire squadrons of soldiers on their own. Especially now, fully in his element, surrounded by friends and a night unburdened by routine or expectation, he was stunning. Louis was so ethereal that Harry wondered if he wasn’t just fully god instead of half.

Harry knew he’d been planning battle strategy since he’d met him weeks before. Tonight, when it was all going to finally play out, his eyes were brighter that Harry had ever seen them, and Harry could see his body vibrating with energy.

Louis had ADHD like just about every other demigod in the camp, and he was usually hyperactive, but this energy was directed and purposeful. He was especially worked up about this game because it was Cabin 11’s chance to beat the Ares Cabin’s faces in. They’d had an alliance for the last three games, trading shower privileges, chores, smuggled food, and things like that, but last game they used half of Cabin 11 as bait in their scheme, and Louis was livid. He hated the baiting technique, thought it was cowardly and unimaginative, so he broke their alliance after the game was over. They were now allied with the Athena, Hephaestus, Demeter, Hebe, Nike, and Tyche Cabins, everyone else was on the Apollo Cabin’s team, them having won the flag from the Ares Cabin after easily figuring out their bait scheme.

Harry didn’t know much about battle strategy at all, but he did know that the Athena Cabin, which housed children of the goddess of wisdom and strategy, was the best and that the Nike Cabin, which housed children of the goddess of victory, would do just about anything to win. He felt like he was in good hands, even if his plan was just to stay as far out of the way as possible.

Louis, however, had other plans.

“Harry, I have you on offensive diversion tonight, is that okay with you?” Louis asked after he’d assigned roles to groups at large, and said that Cabin 11 would be defense. Harry was so stunned that he couldn’t say a thing at first. Louis was standing so close to him and everything about him was just so bright and wonderful and he was actually asking Harry’s permission, in all his commanding glory, he cared enough to make sure Harry was comfortable. Harry knew that he would have flung himself into the lava wall if Louis had asked him to in that moment.

“Uh.. uh, yeah. Um, sure. If that’s. What you, uh, think is best.” Harry managed to sputter out. Louis’ smile got impossible brighter and Harry knew he was screwed.

“Good lad,” Louis replied, gripping Harry’s shoulder and lingering for a second longer than strictly necessary. Louis knew he had to get back to the other commanders, but it was hard leaving Harry when he looked so stunned, awestruck, and, frankly, adorable. He just wanted to wrap him in blankets and make him stay safe somewhere calm and boring, but he also needed to stop being so distracted and help Harry learn how to fight. Capture the flag was an excellent teacher.

He managed to tear himself away. He had a game to win.

“Alright!” He shouted to his troops staring at him. “You know your assignments, you know how to fight, you know what we’re fighting for! You’re darn good soldiers, and you’re worth way more than just being bait! Hold strong; let’s go capture a flag!”

 

Harry should not have agreed to be part of the offensive diversion. He shouldn’t have agreed to play this game at all, but maybe if he hadn’t been so star stuck a few minutes he wouldn’t be attempting to creep his way through the enemies left flank. He tripped about every other step, and he felt more like a liability than anything else. He was in what he learned they referred to as a “small deployment,” which consisted of Zayn, a fairly built Hephaestus kid named Liam, Travis Stoll, a Tyche kid named Chiara, and himself. All of the others seemed so confident and experienced and Harry just hoped he didn’t screw them all up. Apparently he’d been put on the team because, “You’re fast,” in Zayn’s words. Harry had no clue what being fast had to do with anything, or why he was picked over any of the other demigods who could probably run as fast as he could, but the way Zayn said it, like everything was obvious, made Harry too afraid to ask.

Harry hadn’t been privy to the whole game plan, not that he would have understood it anyway, but he knew they were making their way around to the left upper center of enemy territory to cause a diversion that would hopefully draw some defense away from the Ares flag. He knew of three other groups who were sent across the team border as well, but he didn’t know which other small deployments were just distractions and which were supposed to get the flag. He also had no clue where Louis was. He wasn’t worried, per se, just curious.

They trekked in the woods until they came to a small clearing. Liam started sticking long, thin bronze poles around the bases of a couple trees along the perimeter, and Chiara drove slightly smaller ones in the shape of a circle within Liam’s circle. Zayn was getting grasses and vines and even some young trees to make what looked like a melted fence with Chiara’s poles as posts. Travis acted as guard as the three of them worked, and Harry hoped he looked like he was doing something useful.

Once Liam, Chiara, and Zayn finished whatever it was they were doing, they called Harry into the middle of the clearing where they all sat facing outward.

“How long do you think it’ll take?” Liam asked.

“No clue, mate,” Zayn replied.

“We just have to be ready when he comes,” Chiara put in.

“Who’s coming?” Harry asked. The three of them looked around as if they were expecting to find spies in the trees. Zayn shrugged.

“You’ll see,” he said, “if he ever gets here.”

They waited in silence some more. Harry wondered if capture the flag always involved this much waiting. He started to hear the clangs of bronze on bronze and shouts of other campers somewhere to his left, but he couldn’t even begin to guess what was going on.

“Do you guys think those are a good thing or a bad thing?” Harry asked, referring to the noises.

“Hard to tell,” Chiara said. “With Annabeth and Percy gone, the Ares cabin seemed way more confident, but that doesn’t mean much. We’re hurting a bit with Leo gone too.”

“They have Apollo with them too,” Liam added. “I’d be watching out for aerial attacks if I were out there fighting.” Harry stored that information for later. He didn’t really think he’d use it, but it at least felt like something he should do in this situation.

They went back to listening to the fight. Even Travis got bored of keeping watch and started to talk with them.

They’d all grown so accustomed to the quiet of the woods that they all jumped when he suddenly heard a hoard of footsteps approaching them. Liam, Zayn, and Chiara quickly sprang to their feet as Travis stalked back out into the woods a bit. Harry wasn’t sure what to do, but he got to his feet so that he looked like he knew what he was doing. He instinctively started to move back when he first saw far off branches and brush quivering. He’d barely taken two steps when the clearing burst open, reveling what looked like at least 12 demigods.

Harry heard Louis yell “Now!” as he and Malcom crashed into their inner circle, Ares flag and pole between them, and suddenly the ground around the perimeter of the inner circle sprang up to form a dome around them.

“We only have about 30 seconds before they break through,” Louis rushed out. “Liam are you ready?”

“All set.” They could hear the sound of arrows, spears, and even bodies slamming against their fortress walls.

“Good,” Louis replied. His eyes were electric and his face was flushed with exhaustion. He had blood on his forearms and down one of his pant legs, and his hair was tangled with leaves, grass, and something that looked very sticky. He turned and locked eyes with Harry, who hoped that Louis didn’t realize he’d been staring.

“Okay, you’re going to take the flag and run,” he said calmly to Harry.

Harry blanched and physically jerked backward. “I’m WHAT?” he nearly shouted. “No. no no no no—”

“Yes, Harry, you are!” Louis said to him. “Just think of it like a massive obstacle course. They have their entire side of the forest booby trapped as Hades, and you’re the only one we’ve got who has a chance. In 10 seconds, Liam’s going to rotate the outer rim of this clearing and that should disorient them enough to buy you some getaway time. We’ll cover you.”

Harry realized he didn’t have the option to say no. The tip of an arrow appeared in the vines above their heads.

“Lou, I can’t, I don’t know where—”

“Harry!” Louis grabbed either side of Harry’s face and brought it closer to his, shaking it slightly. “Yes, you can. Follow your instincts. You can and you will, or we’re all going down. I’ll be behind you.”

Harry took a full second to search Louis’ face for any sign of doubt but found nothing but fierce, steely, determination and confidence. He gulped, grabbed the flag Louis was now holding, and gave Louis a small nod. Louis smiled and gave one back, eyes shining. Louis wanted to kiss him.

Instead, he turned to the right and shouted, “On my count. Get ready.” They all drew their swords. “Now, Liam!”

The ground shook, Zayn’s fortress dropped, and Harry ran.

He briefly noted that the ring of earth between the two circles of bronze pipe Liam and Chiara set up was rotating around their inner circles, making some campers back off into the woods and even more flat on the ground. He also saw Louis, Liam, Zayn, Chiara, and Travis immediately start driving the sea of opponents away.

In just a few strides, the clearing was out of view and Harry was focused solely on the woods in front of him. Harry knew this was still just a game, but at the same time Harry knew it was so much more than the games he was used to. Louis was right about the booby traps. Harry knew he was weirdly good at avoiding them, but that didn’t mean it was easy. The second he was out of view of his teammates, about 3 trip wires shot across his path at once. He leapt over each of them and continued running until he noticed something different about a patch of dirt in front of him, and then a large net of camouflaged rocks that would probably rain down if triggered. He stepped around it carefully and started sprinting again. He could hear people running at him now, so he didn't have much time. He hoped at least one of them was Louis who said he’d have his back.

He really didn’t have any idea how to get back to his side of the woods, but he trusted his instincts like Louis said he should, and made a hard right at a burnt looking tree, cutting through more woods. He crossed a line of trees and heard the faint press of button before coils of wire started to spring up at his feet and around his face. He’d dealt with grasping wires in courses before, but this time he had a flag to protect. He decided it was too difficult to fight all of them at once, but he needed to get out.  
Grabbing the top of his flag’s pole, he brandished it like a sword. He figured the wires were enchanted to get the flag first, so it wouldn’t difficult to divert their attention to the unguarded pole. He was right and in about five seconds the pole was covered with layers of bronze wire. It started to tug at the flag, but Harry already had his sword drawn and he cut clean through all of the wires down the shaft of the pole, which was much easier with all of them in roughly the same place. He hoped the wire that stayed on the pole wasn’t still enchanted but he really just didn’t have enough time to worry about it right now.

He took a few more steps and spotted archers in the trees, but no way around them that wouldn’t significantly slow him down. He’d been a moving target before and done alright, but he was starting to realize that the flag was slowing him down a bit. Not stopping to think too much about it, he barreled forward and put on a new burst of speed and energy, flying through the enemy’s guarded territory. He felt arrows brushing against him and felt one harshly graze his side, but then he heard some people fighting behind him, and one of them was Louis if the creative cursing was anything to go by. This gave him the confidence the graze had taken, and he just ran faster and took a quick left to get out of range.

He didn’t stop running, and ended up triggering a trap that made the ground under him shift like loose sand. He didn’t have time to get tripped up by this. He felt a tug in his gut and concentrated on just making it to solid ground and in a couple of strides he was there. Harry knew that probably should have been more difficult to cross, and he also knew he should really be out of breath by now. He decided he’d worry about it later.

The creek dividing the two sides was coming into view, but the second Harry saw it, about 10 campers who definitely were not on his team materialized at the edge of the creek. They stood in a line with their shields in front of them forming a wall. Something that sounded a lot like Louis’ voice in the back of his mind said phalanx, but he didn’t have time to think about battle strategy now.

Harry was pretty sure he couldn’t just run around them; they had perfect view of his every move. He started to slow down for the first time today so that he could figure out a plan. The trees were his first instinct, but there was a good chance more archers were hidden in the branches, and he couldn’t cross the creek by tree anyway. He thought about just throwing the flag like a javelin and hoping for the best, but that didn’t seem like a good idea either. He was about ready to just charge his enemy when he heard Louis call his name behind him.

“Harry! Harry, wait for two bloody seconds would you.” Louis’ face was even redder and he had more blood smearing his body and clothes along with an impressive amount of dirt coating his legs. “Take a look at their formation,” Louis told him, “do you see a path?”

Harry had no clue what Louis was talking about, but he obliged. He was about to tell Louis he was crazy when something caught his eye. It wasn’t like the ground glowed or flowers aligned themselves or anything, but he could definitely make out a path. Their phalanx wasn’t a real phalanx because there were definite holes between their shields. Harry’s path cut through one of the week spots and stopped. And then he saw another one, starting where Louis’ feet were.

“Holy Hephestus,” Harry said, “I. Yeah. Lou, I see it. Well, I actually see two.” Louis was smiling like a maniac when Harry turned to him.

“Okay,” he replied, “where should I go?”

“Um,” Harry hadn’t thought about how this would sound, and it felt foreign to be the only giving Louis directions.

“Spit it out!” They could both hear hoards of footsteps gaining on them.

“Um. Okay. I’m running to the far right. Yours goes up and over the biggest dude out there. I don’t know how you’re supposed to--”

“I got it.”

“Are you sure y--”

“I’m sure, now go!”

Harry was relieved that Louis had taken charge again, but he was less relieved that he was now running straight at a line of armed children of Ares. He could see Louis charging in the corner of his vision, and he really hoped Louis knew what he was doing.

Right as Harry closed in on the phalanx, he realized he was meant to slide on the ground between them, not charge. The second he dropped to his bum, flag tucked to his side, he saw Louis leap onto Clarisse’s shield right before she trust outward, presumably in attempt to knock Louis’ teeth out. Instead the outward thrust launched him into the air.

Harry’s body knew what it had to do before his brain did.

“Lou!” he shouted. Louis look at him and Harry threw the flag toward his soaring figure right, as he passed under the guards. Harry raised his shield to protect himself as their swords came to make contact, but he must have surprised them because their blades were too slow to hit him. When Harry moved his shield away from his face, he saw Louis still about three feet from the ground on the other side of the creek, flag in hand, arrow sticking from his calf.

In a heartbeat Louis collided with a bush which flattened as it broke his fall.

Instantly, a massive roar erupted in Harry’s ears: jubilation and victory from his team on the other side of the creek, disappointment and outrage from the campers around him. He quickly scrambled to the other side of the creek to avoid being shish-ke-babed.

When he crossed the water, he was immediately met by a dozen campers who promptly hoisted him into the air, chanting something he couldn’t quite make out. Harry spotted Louis, who was also being held up, although he should have probably been getting medical attention first. Blood streamed from the arrow wound in his leg and purple welts were starting to form on every part of his body, but he looked so exhilarated and happy that Harry couldn’t bring himself to admonish his carelessness.

Other members of their team started to run across the creek to join the celebration. Harry saw Zayn, Liam, Chiara, and Travis hobble their way across, bloody and beaten up but grinning ear to ear.

After a few minutes, Louis and Harry were returned to the ground. Louis immediately limped to Harry and again took his face in his hands, shaking it now with elation and pride shining in his eyes. His face was wrinkled from smiling so much, and Harry thought he was the most stunning thing he’d ever seen. He would run through miles and miles of booby-trapped woods if it made Louis this happy every time.

“You fucking did it, Harry!” he screamed.

“We did it, Lou,” Harry corrected.

“Nah, this was all you kid. I just helped.”

Harry barked out a laugh at that idea, head flying back and green eyes shutting with the force of it. Both of his dimples were ridiculously prominent, his hair was an absolute disheveled mess, and he covered in sweat, and Louis couldn’t stop the thought from returning: _I want to kiss you_.

“I want kiss you,” Louis blurted.

Now, Louis had done many many impulsive and possibly idiotic things in his life, ADHD only helping him along the way, but telling his best friend he wanted to kiss him front of the whole camp while slowly losing consciousness from blood loss was the new top of that list.

He realized his mistake a second too late. He jerked back, apology already on his lips. Harry’s eyes were blown wide in shock, his lips still slightly parted.

“Harry, I’m so sorry. I d--”

“Then do it,” Harry cut him off, eyes blazing with an intensity Louis had never seen before.

Louis scanned his face, searching for something to indicate that Harry was joking, but he couldn’t find anything. Noise roared in Louis’ ears and he nearly just lunged forward to do it, but then remembered where he was and how important Harry was to him. He gave Harry a smile and stepped back.

“Maybe later. Good game, Harold,” he sputtered out, still smiling.

Harry laughed out of pure adrenaline and disbelief, smiling with more force that he ever had in his life even though Louis had stepped back. Maybe later was better than nothing. “Yeah, good game Lou.”

“Get a room!” someone from the crowd yelled, and they both blushed even redder.

“Hey, now,” Lou said to everyone at large, “I think young Harold deserves to celebrate!” Harry felt his cheeks heat even more and wondered if one could die from blushing. “Let’s hear it for Harry!”

The whole camp cheered, campers Harry knew and ones he didn’t, even the other team was clapping even if they did so grudgingly. Louis swung his arm around Harry’s shoulders. Harry had no clue where this put them, but they could figure all of that later. However, what he did know was that he really liked capture the flag.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! You're all lovely!
> 
> If you liked it, please consider reblogging [this](https://hereforhappylarry.tumblr.com/post/175967787693/not-even-the-gods-above-by-eleven11) tumblr post! Thank you again!


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